99 names of Allah: Difference between revisions

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The Quran talks about "beautiful names of Allah" and the hadiths further specify that there is exactly 99 names. Muslims are supposed to learn these names of Allah, but there is a problem, because Muhammad didn't offer the full list of these names. Islamic scholars had to rely on ijtihad to find these names in the Quran and sunnah and different scholars came up with different lists. Out of the supposed 99 names of Allah, they together found at least 276 names.
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The Quran references the "beautiful names of Allah." Hadith elaborate on this further, specifying that Allah has exactly 99 names. Muslims are expected to learn these names, though not all are listed in the Quran or hadith. This required Islamic scholars to use [[ijtihad]] (independent judgement) to locate these names in the Quran and Sunnah, with different scholars proposing different lists. As many as 276 names have been proposed.


==The phrase "beautiful names of Allah" mentioned in the Quran==
==The phrase "beautiful names of Allah" mentioned in the Qur'an==
The Quran says that Allah has beautiful names (الأسماء الحسنى, ''al-asmaa' ul-husnaa''), but doesn't specify what these names are and how many.
The Quran states that Allah has "beautiful names" (الأسماء الحسنى, ''al-asmaa' ul-husnaa''). It does not specify the names or their number.
{{Quote|{{Quran|7|180}}|And to Allah belong '''the best names''' (الأسماء الحسنى), so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing.
{{Quote|{{Quran|7|180}}|And to Allah belong '''the best names''' (الأسماء الحسنى), so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing.
}}
}}
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{{Quote|{{Quran|59|24}}|He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong '''the best names''' (الأسماء الحسنى). Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
{{Quote|{{Quran|59|24}}|He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong '''the best names''' (الأسماء الحسنى). Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
}}
}}
حسنى (husnaa) is translated as "beautiful", "best", "excellent" or "finest" <ref>http://quranx.com/7.180</ref>. The phrase "beaufiful names of Allah" and the word pig (خنزيير) were both mentioned exactly 4 times in the Quran - for more word count "miracles" click [[Word Count Miracles in the Qur'an|here]].
==Hadith==
==Hadith==
There are many hadith claiming Allah has 99 names, this is one of them from Sahih Bukhari:
Numerous hadith, such as the following from Sahih Bukhari, indicate that Allah has 99 names:
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|9|93|489}}|Narrated Abu Huraira:
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|||7392|darussalam}}|Narrated Abu Huraira:


Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah has ninety-nine Names, one-hundred less one; and he who memorized them all by heart will enter Paradise." To count something means to know it by heart.}}
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah has ninety-nine Names, one-hundred less one; and he who memorized them all by heart will enter Paradise." To count something means to know it by heart.}}
Some apologetic sources (including Wikipedia) claim that according to the hadith, there are ''at least'' 99 names. But the hadith doesn't say "at least". It says simply ninety-nine (تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ) and even adds that it's one hundred minus one, which seems to emphasize, that it is exactly 99 and not 100 or more. And the hadith also says that who memorizes all these names would go to paradise - such a task would be hard in the time of Muhammad, considering that in that time the ummah was [[Muhammad and illiteracy|illiterate]]. And even today, as we'll see, it seems impossible to find the 99 names.
Some Islamic scholars and public figures argue that the above hadith indicates that Allah has ''at least'' 99 names. However, this specification does not appear in the original Arabic, which simply indicates that Allah has "ninety-nine" or "one-hundred less one" names.


==The popular list==
==The popular list==
===Source===
===Source===
The most popular list of 99 names of Allah among Muslims (which is also used on the English Wikipedia) seems to be a list from a weak (da'if) hadith from the collection of Tirmidhi.
A popular list of Allah's 99 names originates from a weak (da'if) hadith from the collection of Tirmidhi.
{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||6|45|3507}} (weak)|Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||6|45|3507}} (weak)|Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:


“Indeed, Allah has ninety-nine Names, one hundred less one, whoever counts them shall enter Paradise. He is Allah, the one whom there is none worthy of worship except for Him (Allāhu Lā Ilāha Illā Huwa), the Most Merciful (to the creation) (Ar-Raḥmān), the Most Beneficent (to the believers) (Ar-Raḥīm), the King (Al-Malik), the Free of Deficiencies (Al-Quddūs), the Granter of Safety (As-Salām), the Granter of Security (Al-Mu’min), the Watcher (Al-Muhaimin), the Mighty (Al-`Azīz), the Compeller (Al-Jabbār), the Supreme (Al-Mutakabbir), the Creator (Al-Khāliq), the Originator (Al-Bāri’), the Fashioner (Al-Muṣawwir), the Pardoner (Al-Ghaffār), the Overwhelming (Al-Qahhār), the Giving (Al-Wahhāb), the Provider (Ar-Razzāq), the Opener (Al-Fattāḥ), the Knowing (Al-`Alīm), the Taker (Al-Qābiḍ), the Giver (Al-Bāsiṭ), the Abaser (Al-Khāfiḍ), the Exalter (Ar-Rāfi`), the One who grants honor (Al-Mu`izz), the One who humiliates (Al-Mudhil), the Hearing (As-Samī`), the Seeing (Al-Baṣīr), the Judge (Al-Ḥakam), the Just (Al-`Adl), the Kind (Al-Laṭīf), the Aware (Al-Khabīr), the Forbearing (Al-Ḥalīm), the Magnificent (Al-`Aẓīm), the Oft-Forgiving (Al-Ghafūr), the Grateful (Ash-Shakūr), the Most High (Al-`Aliyy), the Great (Al-Kabīr), the Guardian (Al-Ḥafīẓ), the Powerful (Al-Muqīt), the Reckoner (Al-Ḥasīb), the Glorious (Al-Jalīl), the Generous (Al-Karīm), the Watcher (Ar-Raqīb), the Responder (Al-Mujīb), the Liberal Giver (Al-Wāsi`), the Wise (Al-Ḥakīm), the Loving (Al-Wadūd), the Majestic (Al-Majīd), the Reviver (Al-Bā`ith), the Witness (Ash-Shahīd), the Truth (Al-Ḥaqq), the Guarantor (Al-Wakīl), the Strong (Al-Qawiyy), the Firm (Al-Matīn), the One Who Aids (Al-Waliyy), the Praiseworthy (Al-Ḥamīd), the Encompasser (Al-Muḥṣi), the One Who Begins things (Al-Mubdi’), the One Who brings things back (Al-Mu`īd), the One Who gives life (Al-Muḥyi), the One Who causes death (Al-Mumīt), the Living (Al-Ḥayyu), the Self-Sufficient (Al-Qayyūm), the One Who brings into existence (Al-Wājid), the Illustrious (Al-Mājid), the One (Al-Wāḥid), the Master (Aṣ-Ṣamad), the Able (Al-Qādir), the Powerful (Al-Muqtadir), the One who hastens (Al-Muqaddim), the One who delays (Al-Mu’akhkhir), the First (Al-Awwal), the Last (Al-Ākhir), the Apparent (Aẓ-Ẓāhir), the Inner (Al-Bāṭin), the Owner (Al-Wāli), the Exalted (Al-Muta`āli), the Doer of Good (Al-Barr), the Acceptor of repentance (At-Tawwāb), the Avenger (Al-Muntaqim), the Pardoning (Al-`Afuww), the Kind (Ar-Ra’ūf), the Owner of Dominion (Mālikul-Mulk), the Possessor of Glory and Generosity (Dhul Jalāli wal Ikrām), the One who does justice (Al-Muqsiṭ), the Gatherer (Al-Jāmi`), the Rich (Al-Ghaniyy), the Enricher (Al-Mughni), the Preventer (Al-Māni`), the Harmer (Aḍ-Ḍār), the One who benefits (An-Nāfi`), the Light (An-Nūr), the Guide (Al-Hādi), the Originator (Al-Badī`), the Lasting (Al-Bāqi), the Inheritor (Al-Wārith), the Guide (Ar-Rashīd), the Tolerant (Aṣ-Ṣabūr).”}}
“Indeed, Allah has ninety-nine Names, one hundred less one, whoever counts them shall enter Paradise. He is Allah, the one whom there is none worthy of worship except for Him (Allāhu Lā Ilāha Illā Huwa), the Most Merciful (to the creation) (Ar-Raḥmān), the Most Beneficent (to the believers) (Ar-Raḥīm), the King (Al-Malik), the Free of Deficiencies (Al-Quddūs), the Granter of Safety (As-Salām), the Granter of Security (Al-Mu’min), the Watcher (Al-Muhaimin), the Mighty (Al-`Azīz), the Compeller (Al-Jabbār), the Supreme (Al-Mutakabbir), the Creator (Al-Khāliq), the Originator (Al-Bāri’), the Fashioner (Al-Muṣawwir), the Pardoner (Al-Ghaffār), the Overwhelming (Al-Qahhār), the Giving (Al-Wahhāb), the Provider (Ar-Razzāq), the Opener (Al-Fattāḥ), the Knowing (Al-`Alīm), the Taker (Al-Qābiḍ), the Giver (Al-Bāsiṭ), the Abaser (Al-Khāfiḍ), the Exalter (Ar-Rāfi`), the One who grants honor (Al-Mu`izz), the One who humiliates (Al-Mudhil), the Hearing (As-Samī`), the Seeing (Al-Baṣīr), the Judge (Al-Ḥakam), the Just (Al-`Adl), the Kind (Al-Laṭīf), the Aware (Al-Khabīr), the Forbearing (Al-Ḥalīm), the Magnificent (Al-`Aẓīm), the Oft-Forgiving (Al-Ghafūr), the Grateful (Ash-Shakūr), the Most High (Al-`Aliyy), the Great (Al-Kabīr), the Guardian (Al-Ḥafīẓ), the Powerful (Al-Muqīt), the Reckoner (Al-Ḥasīb), the Glorious (Al-Jalīl), the Generous (Al-Karīm), the Watcher (Ar-Raqīb), the Responder (Al-Mujīb), the Liberal Giver (Al-Wāsi`), the Wise (Al-Ḥakīm), the Loving (Al-Wadūd), the Majestic (Al-Majīd), the Reviver (Al-Bā`ith), the Witness (Ash-Shahīd), the Truth (Al-Ḥaqq), the Guarantor (Al-Wakīl), the Strong (Al-Qawiyy), the Firm (Al-Matīn), the One Who Aids (Al-Waliyy), the Praiseworthy (Al-Ḥamīd), the Encompasser (Al-Muḥṣi), the One Who Begins things (Al-Mubdi’), the One Who brings things back (Al-Mu`īd), the One Who gives life (Al-Muḥyi), the One Who causes death (Al-Mumīt), the Living (Al-Ḥayyu), the Self-Sufficient (Al-Qayyūm), the One Who brings into existence (Al-Wājid), the Illustrious (Al-Mājid), the One (Al-Wāḥid), the Master (Aṣ-Ṣamad), the Able (Al-Qādir), the Powerful (Al-Muqtadir), the One who hastens (Al-Muqaddim), the One who delays (Al-Mu’akhkhir), the First (Al-Awwal), the Last (Al-Ākhir), the Apparent (Aẓ-Ẓāhir), the Inner (Al-Bāṭin), the Owner (Al-Wāli), the Exalted (Al-Muta`āli), the Doer of Good (Al-Barr), the Acceptor of repentance (At-Tawwāb), the Avenger (Al-Muntaqim), the Pardoning (Al-`Afuww), the Kind (Ar-Ra’ūf), the Owner of Dominion (Mālikul-Mulk), the Possessor of Glory and Generosity (Dhul Jalāli wal Ikrām), the One who does justice (Al-Muqsiṭ), the Gatherer (Al-Jāmi`), the Rich (Al-Ghaniyy), the Enricher (Al-Mughni), the Preventer (Al-Māni`), the Harmer (Aḍ-Ḍār), the One who benefits (An-Nāfi`), the Light (An-Nūr), the Guide (Al-Hādi), the Originator (Al-Badī`), the Lasting (Al-Bāqi), the Inheritor (Al-Wārith), the Guide (Ar-Rashīd), the Tolerant (Aṣ-Ṣabūr).”}}
This hadith is weak. Tirmidhi wrote about it:
Tirmidhi elaborates on the quality of the hadith:
{{Quote|Tirmidhi comment on the list|"This (version of the) hadith is gharib [unusual, scarce]; it has been narrated from various routes on the authority of Abu Hurairah, but we do not know of the mention of the Names in the numerous narrations, except this one."
{{Quote|Tirmidhi comment on the list|"This (version of the) hadith is gharib [unusual, scarce]; it has been narrated from various routes on the authority of Abu Hurairah, but we do not know of the mention of the Names in the numerous narrations, except this one."
}}
}}
Ibn Taimiyya said: {{Quote|Ibn Taimyya|"Al-Walid (one of the narrators of the hadith) related the Names from (the saying of) one of his Syrian teachers ... '''specific mention of the Names is not from the words of the Prophet''' (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), by the agreement of those familiar with Hadith."}}
From Ibn Tamiyya: {{Quote|Ibn Taimyya|"Al-Walid (one of the narrators of the hadith) related the Names from (the saying of) one of his Syrian teachers ... '''specific mention of the Names is not from the words of the Prophet''' (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), by the agreement of those familiar with Hadith."}}


===The list===
===The list===
The list (which is based on a weak hadith) probably looks attractive, because it contains references to the Quran. However it gets less amazing when you find out that in some of these references the word is not actually present in the Arabic Quran. When there is more verses containing the name, only one exemplary verse is mentioned. But if there is more verses and none of them actually mentions the name, all of them are mentioned in the list with the addition "(it's not there)".
Some of the words given as names of Allah in the list are not present in the Quran. The following table links to Quranic verses cited as sources of each name and notes instances where the name does not appear (for example where the same root word appears as a verb).
{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" class= "wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5"
!Num.
!Num.
!In Arabic
!In Arabic
Line 75: Line 74:
|17||الرزاق||''ar-razaaq''||The Provider||The Provider||{{Quran|51|58}}||
|17||الرزاق||''ar-razaaq''||The Provider||The Provider||{{Quran|51|58}}||
|-
|-
|18||الفتاح||''al-fattaah''||The Opener||The Opener||{{Quran|34|26}}||"fath" (opening) is a euphemism for Islamic conquests (''futuhaat islamiyya'', literally "islamic openings").
|18||الفتاح||''al-fattaah''||The Opener||The Opener||{{Quran|34|26}}||"fath" (opening) is a euphemism for Islamic conquests (''futuhaat islamiyya'', literally "Islamic openings").
|-
|-
|19||العليم||''al-'aleem''||The Knowing||The Knowing||{{Quran|2|158}}||
|19||العليم||''al-'aleem''||The Knowing||The Knowing||{{Quran|2|158}}||
|-
|-
|20||القابض||''al-qaabid''||The Restrainer||The Grabbing <ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B6/</ref>||{{Quran|2|245}} (it's not there)||قبضة ''qabda'' is fist
|20||القابض||''al-qaabid''||The Restrainer||The Grabbing <ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B6/</ref>||{{Quran|2|245}} (it's not there)||قبضة or ''qabda'' is fist
|-
|-
|21||الباسط||''al-baasit''||The Extender||The Extender||{{Quran|2|245}} (it's not there)||It should be actually باصط.
|21||الباسط||''al-baasit''||The Extender||The Extender||{{Quran|2|245}} (it's not there)||It should be rendered as باصط.
|-
|-
|22||الخافض||''al-khaafid''||The Humiliator||The Lessener/Lowerer||{{Quran|56|3}} (it's not there)||
|22||الخافض||''al-khaafid''||The Humiliator||The Lessener/Lowerer||{{Quran|56|3}} (it's not there)||
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|23||الرافع||''ar-raafee''||The Exalter||The Raiser||{{Quran|56|3}} (it's not there)||
|23||الرافع||''ar-raafee''||The Exalter||The Raiser||{{Quran|56|3}} (it's not there)||
|-
|-
|24||المعز||''al-muiz''||The Giver of Honor||The Honored||{{Quran|3|26}} (it's not there)||المعز also means "The Goat"
|24||المعز||''al-muiz''||The Giver of Honor||The Honored||{{Quran|3|26}} (it's not there)||
|-
|-
|25||المذل||''al-mudhil''||The Giver of Dishonor||The Humiliating <ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%B0%D9%84/</ref>||{{Quran|3|26}} (it's not there)||
|25||المذل||''al-mudhil''||The Giver of Dishonor||The Humiliating <ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%B0%D9%84/</ref>||{{Quran|3|26}} (it's not there)||
|-
|-
|26||السميع||''al-samii''||The Hearing||The Hearing||{{Quran|2|127}}||
|26||السميع||''as-samii''||The Hearing||The Hearing||{{Quran|2|127}}||
|-
|-
|27||البصير||''al-baseer''||The All-Seeing||The Seeing||{{Quran|4|58}}||
|27||البصير||''al-baseer''||The All-Seeing||The Seeing||{{Quran|4|58}}||
Line 101: Line 100:
|30||اللطيف||''al-lateef''||The Subtly Kind||The Kind||{{Quran|22|63}}||
|30||اللطيف||''al-lateef''||The Subtly Kind||The Kind||{{Quran|22|63}}||
|-
|-
|31||الخبير||''ar-khabeer''||The All-aware||The Informed <ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%AE%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B1/</ref>||{{Quran|6|18}}||
|31||الخبير||''al-khabeer''||The All-aware||The Informed <ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%AE%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B1/</ref>||{{Quran|6|18}}||
|-
|-
|32||الحليم||''ar-haleem''||The Forbearing||The Forbearing||{{Quran|2|235}}||
|32||الحليم||''al-haleem''||The Forbearing||The Forbearing||{{Quran|2|235}}||
|-
|-
|33||العظيم||''al-'azeem''||The Great||The Great||{{Quran|2|255}}||
|33||العظيم||''al-'azeem''||The Great||The Great||{{Quran|2|255}}||
|-
|-
|34||الغفور||''ar-ghafoor''||The Much Forgiving||The Forgiving||{{Quran|2|173}}||The list already contains Ghaffar, which means the same.
|34||الغفور||''al-ghafoor''||The Much Forgiving||The Forgiving||{{Quran|2|173}}||
|-
|-
|35||الشكور||''al-shakoor''||The Grateful||The Thankful||{{Quran|35|30}}||
|35||الشكور||''ash-shakoor''||The Grateful||The Thankful||{{Quran|35|30}}||
|-
|-
|36||العلى||''al-aliyy''||The Sublime||The Exalted||{{Quran|4|34}}||
|36||العلى||''al-aliyy''||The Sublime||The Exalted||{{Quran|4|34}}||
|-
|-
|37||الكبير||''ar-kabeer''||The Great||The Great||{{Quran|13|9}}||Not ''akbar'' (اكبر) - the Greatest??
|37||الكبير||''al-kabeer''||The Great||The Great||{{Quran|13|9}}||
|-
|-
|38||الحفيظ||''al-hafeez''||The Preserver||The Preserver||{{Quran|11|57}}||
|38||الحفيظ||''al-hafeez''||The Preserver||The Preserver||{{Quran|11|57}}||
Line 119: Line 118:
|39||المقيت||''al-muqeet''||The Nourisher||The Nourisher||{{Quran|4|85}}||
|39||المقيت||''al-muqeet''||The Nourisher||The Nourisher||{{Quran|4|85}}||
|-
|-
|40||الحسيب||''al-haseeb''||The Bringer of Judgment||The Accountant||{{Quran|4|6}}||حساب hisaab means account
|40||الحسيب||''al-haseeb''||The Bringer of Judgment||The Accountant||{{Quran|4|6}}||حساب or hisaab means "account"
|-
|-
|41||الجليل||''al-jaleel''||The Majestic||The Majestic||{{Quran|55|27}} (it's not there), {{Quran|7|143}} (it's not there)||
|41||الجليل||''al-jaleel''||The Majestic||The Majestic||{{Quran|55|27}} (it's not there), {{Quran|7|143}} (it's not there)||
Line 141: Line 140:
|50||الشهيد||''ash-shaheed''||The Witness||The Witness||{{Quran|4|166}}||
|50||الشهيد||''ash-shaheed''||The Witness||The Witness||{{Quran|4|166}}||
|-
|-
|51||الحق||''al-haqq''||The Truth||The Truth||{{Quran|22|6}}||Allah in the Quran claims that the [[Flat Earth and the Quran|Earth is flat]].
|51||الحق||''al-haqq''||The Truth||The Truth||{{Quran|22|6}}||
|-
|-
|52||الوكيل||''al-wakeel''||The Trustee||The Trustee||{{Quran|3|173}}||
|52||الوكيل||''al-wakeel''||The Trustee||The Trustee||{{Quran|3|173}}||
Line 151: Line 150:
|55||الولي||''al-walee''||The Friend||The Friend||{{Quran|4|45}}||
|55||الولي||''al-walee''||The Friend||The Friend||{{Quran|4|45}}||
|-
|-
|56||الحميد||''al-hameed''||The All Praiseworthy||The Praiseworthy||{{Quran|14|8}}||Muhammad (محمد) is derived from the same root.
|56||الحميد||''al-hameed''||The All Praiseworthy||The Praiseworthy||{{Quran|14|8}}||Muhammad (محمد) is derived from the same root
|-
|-
|57||المحصى||''al-muhsee''||The Accounter||The Accounter||{{Quran|72|28}} (it's not there), {{Quran|78|29}} (it's not there)||إحصىء means "statistics"
|57||المحصى||''al-muhsee''||The Accounter||The Accounter||{{Quran|72|28}} (it's not there), {{Quran|78|29}} (it's not there)||إحصىء means "statistics"
Line 185: Line 184:
|72||المؤخر||''al-muakhir''||The Delayer||The Delayer||{{Quran|71|4}} (it's not there)||
|72||المؤخر||''al-muakhir''||The Delayer||The Delayer||{{Quran|71|4}} (it's not there)||
|-
|-
|73||الأول||''al-awwal''||The First||The First||{{Quran|57|3}}||The first what?
|73||الأول||''al-awwal''||The First||The First||{{Quran|57|3}}||
|-
|-
|74||الآخر||''al-aakhir''||The Last||The Last||{{Quran|57|3}}||The last what?
|74||الآخر||''al-aakhir''||The Last||The Last||{{Quran|57|3}}||
|-
|-
|75||الظاهر||''az-zaahir''||The Apparent||The Apparent||{{Quran|57|3}}||
|75||الظاهر||''az-zaahir''||The Apparent||The Apparent||{{Quran|57|3}}||
Line 193: Line 192:
|76||الباطن||''al-baatin''||The Inner||The Inner||{{Quran|57|3}}||
|76||الباطن||''al-baatin''||The Inner||The Inner||{{Quran|57|3}}||
|-
|-
|77||الوالي||''al-waali''||The Patron||The Patron||{{Quran|13|11}}||"And there is not for them besides Him any patron." - is it really a name?
|77||الوالي||''al-waali''||The Patron||The Patron||{{Quran|13|11}}||
|-
|-
|78||المتعالي||''al-mutaali''||The Most High||The Arrogant <ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A/</ref>||{{Quran|13|9}}||
|78||المتعالي||''al-mutaali''||The Most High||The Arrogant <ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A/</ref>||{{Quran|13|9}}||
Line 201: Line 200:
|80||التواب||''at-tawwaab''||The Ever-Returning||The Merciful||{{Quran|4|64}}||
|80||التواب||''at-tawwaab''||The Ever-Returning||The Merciful||{{Quran|4|64}}||
|-
|-
|81||المنتقم||''al-muntaqim''||The Avenger||The Revenger||{{Quran|32|22}}||It's in plural form.
|81||المنتقم||''al-muntaqim''||The Avenger||The Revenger||{{Quran|32|22}}||Appears in plural form
|-
|-
|82||العفو||''al-'afuu''||The Pardoner||The Pardoner||{{Quran|4|43}}||
|82||العفو||''al-'afuu''||The Pardoner||The Pardoner||{{Quran|4|43}}||
|-
|-
|83||الرؤف||''ar-rauf''||The Kind||The ||{{Quran|9|117}}||
|83||الرؤف||''ar-rauf''||The Kind||The Kind||{{Quran|9|117}}||
|-
|-
|84||مالك الملك||''maalik ul-mulk''||The Owner of all Sovereignty||The Owner of all Dominion||{{Quran|3|26}}||
|84||مالك الملك||''maalik ul-mulk''||The Owner of all Sovereignty||The Owner of all Dominion||{{Quran|3|26}}||
Line 219: Line 218:
|89||المغني||''al-mughni''||The Enricher||The Enricher||{{Quran|9|28}} (it's not there)||
|89||المغني||''al-mughni''||The Enricher||The Enricher||{{Quran|9|28}} (it's not there)||
|-
|-
|90||المانع||''al-maani''||The Preventer||The Preventer||{{Quran|67|21}} (it's not there)||It's not there at all.
|90||المانع||''al-maani''||The Preventer||The Preventer||{{Quran|67|21}} (it's not there)||No form of the relevant word appears
|-
|-
|91||الضار||''ad-daar''||The Harmer||The Harmer||{{Quran|6|17}} (it's not there)||
|91||الضار||''ad-daar''||The Harmer||The Harmer||{{Quran|6|17}} (it's not there)||
|-
|-
|92||النافع||''an-naafi''||The Propitious||The Propitious||{{Quran|30|37}} (it's not there)||It's not there at all.
|92||النافع||''an-naafi''||The Propitious||The Propitious||{{Quran|30|37}} (it's not there)||No form of the relevant word appears
|-
|-
|93||النور||''an-noor''||The Light||The Light||{{Quran|24|35}}||
|93||النور||''an-noor''||The Light||The Light||{{Quran|24|35}}||
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|95||البديع||''al-badee''||The Originator||The Originator||{{Quran|2|117}}||
|95||البديع||''al-badee''||The Originator||The Originator||{{Quran|2|117}}||
|-
|-
|96||الباقي||''al-baaqi''||The Immutable||The Remaining||{{Quran|55|27}} (it's not there)||"And there '''will remain''' the Face of your Lord..." - not a name.
|96||الباقي||''al-baaqi''||The Immutable||The Remaining||{{Quran|55|27}} (it's not there)||"And there '''will remain''' the Face of your Lord..."
|-
|-
|97||الوارث||''al-waarith''||The Heir||The Heir||{{Quran|15|23}}||It's in plural
|97||الوارث||''al-waarith''||The Heir||The Heir||{{Quran|15|23}}||Appears in plural form
|-
|-
|98||الرشيد||''ar-rasheed''||The Guide to the Right Path||The ِRightly Guided||{{Quran|72|10}} (it's not there)||"And we do not know [therefore] whether evil is intended for those on earth or whether their Lord intends for them '''a right course''' (رشدا)."
|98||الرشيد||''ar-rasheed''||The Guide to the Right Path||The ِRightly Guided||{{Quran|72|10}} (it's not there)||"And we do not know [therefore] whether evil is intended for those on earth or whether their Lord intends for them '''a right course''' (رشدا)."
Line 240: Line 239:
|}
|}


===Layers of wrongness===
===Issues===
====It is based on a weak hadith====
==== "The Compassionate" ====
Memorizing the list should make Muslims go to paradise, but since the hadith is unreliable, Muslims cannot rely on going to heaven for memorizing it.
Reynolds (2020) discusses one of the most commonly used names for Allah, Al-Rahman or The Compassionate:
{{Quote|Reynolds, Gabriel Said. Allah: God in the Qur'an (pp. 94-96). Yale University Press. Kindle Edition.|Most tellingly, perhaps, on fifty-six occasions the Qur’an simply names God al-rahman, “the Compassionate.” This would seem to suggest that the Qur’an’s idea of God is deeply intertwined with the concept of mercy. A closer analysis, however, complicates this suggestion in three ways. <br><i>First, the name al-rahman is used for God in a number of verses in which God is not merciful.</i><sup>14</sup> This is the case with Q 19:45, in which Abraham tells his (pagan) father, “I am indeed afraid that a punishment from al-rahman will befall you, and you will become Satan’s accomplice.” This paradoxical use of al-rahman appears again in Q 21:42, where God commands the Prophet: “Say, ‘Who can guard you, day and night, against [the punishment of] al-rahman.”<sup>15</sup><i>Second, in the Qur’an the term al-rahman always appears with the definite article (al) and never as a simple adjective. And third, whereas rahim is used to refer to things other than God (e.g., in Q 9:128 Muhammad is rahim), al-rahman is used only to refer to God.</i><br>Together these things suggest that the Qur’an’s author meant to use al-rahman principally as a proper noun for God. This possibility seems more likely in light of what we know from the evidence left behind on rocks by monotheists who lived in Arabia before Islam. Pre-Islamic Arabian rock inscriptions often refer to God, or God the Father in the Christian Trinity, with a version of the name al-rahman. In South Arabian the name appears as rahmanan.<sup>16</sup>In North Arabia, too, God, or a god, was referred to as “the merciful.” A North Arabian inscription (in a variety of Ancient North Arabian known as Safaitic) includes an appeal to a god who is referred to with a term related to Arabic rahim and rahman.<sup>17</sup> Thus, al-rahman (or other versions of it) seems simply to have been a typical way to refer to God in Arabia.<sup>18</sup>}}
"Rahmanan" above is synonymous with al-rahman, with the definite article being expressed through the 'an' suffix,as in some Southern Arabian languages, rather than the 'al' prefix as in contemporary Arabic.<ref>Reynolds, Gabriel Said. ''Allah: God in the Qur'an (p. 254)'''.''''' Yale University Press. Kindle Edition.  


Anybody can realize that it is not wise of Allah to offer Muslims a go to paradise and not to give them the list.
Footnote 16: This is not the only name that Arabian monotheists used for God. The French archaeologist Christian Robin has carefully catalogued names for God used by Jews in the South Arabian kingdom of Himyar in the fifth and sixth centuries. In addition to rahmanan (“the Compassionate”; the an at the end of the word is the definite article used in certain South Arabian languages), they used a name close to Arabic allah (ʾlahan) along with rabb (“lord”)—a term closely related to a name used for God in the Qurʾan..


====Some names are not actually beautiful====
</ref>
Some of the names, like "The Harmer", even with apologetic translation by Muslims, doesn't seem to be beautiful.


====Some names are not actually mentioned in the Quran====
====Duplicates====
Many of the names in the column "In Arabic" are not actually in the Arabic Quran. These names were marked with "(it's not there)" in our table.
The verse 55:27 is considered as an instance of both "ذو الجلال والإكرام" and "الجليل". It is not clear what the difference could be between الغفور and الغفار or between "مالك" and "مالك الملك".


Let's analyze, for example, the last name of Allah, الصبور (The Patient).
====Names not mentioned in the Quran====
 
Some of the purported names of Allah do not appear in the Quran, for example the last on the list, الصبور (The Patient). It is often cited as appearing in verse 2:153:{{Quote|{{Quran|2|153}}|
First, it's supposed to be in the verse 2:153:
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|153}}|
O you who have believed, seek help '''through patience''' (بالصبر) and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.
O you who have believed, seek help '''through patience''' (بالصبر) and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.
}}
}}
The word الصبور doesn't exist in the verse. The word الصبر exists there, but it means "patience", not "the patient one". And if based on this verse "Patience" is a name of Allah, then why not "The Prayer"? The verse talks about patience and prayer in the same context.
In this case, the relevant word means "patience" and not "The Patient One."


The next verse that supposedly includes the word الصبور is this one:
Another verse from which the claim is derived uses the term as a verb and command for believers:
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|200}}|O you who have believed, '''persevere and endure''' (اصبروا وصابروا) and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|200}}|O you who have believed, '''persevere and endure''' (اصبروا وصابروا) and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.
}}
}}Another verse similarly translates to "patience," not "The Patient One":
What? This was a verb and it was a command for the believers, not a name of Allah.
 
Next verse:
{{Quote|{{Quran|103|3}}|Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other '''to patience''' (بالصبر).
{{Quote|{{Quran|103|3}}|Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other '''to patience''' (بالصبر).
}}
}}
Again it's the word الصبر (the patience), not الصبور (the patient one) and it's not a name of Allah. It's just a command for believers to advise each other to be patient.
A similar phenomenon occurs with another purported name, The Preventer (المانع), which is cited as occuring in verse 67:21: the verb in this verse is not derived from the same root, منع.
 
So nowhere in the Quran it mentions الصبور being the name of Allah, that means the 99th name in this list is wrong and therefore the whole list is unreliable. We could analyze many more of these supposed "names" how they are not actually in the Quran. They are even easier ones to debunk, for example The Preventer (المانع) doesn't exist in the verse 67:21, not even a verb derived from the same root منع. Although the word "Preventer" exists in the Quran (50:25 and 68:12), but it is written as مناع, not مانع and it says "preventer of good" about disbelievers.


====Other names not mentioned in the list====
====Other names not mentioned in the list====
Analyzing the list, we see that some of the "names of Allah" don't seem to be proper names, but just simply nouns like "patience". And also sometimes the "name of Allah" is derived from a verb occurring in the Quran. Using the same tactics, we could find many more names of Allah in the Quran.
The Qur'an refers to Allah as [[Allah the Best Deceiver|The Best of Deceivers]] (''khayru al-makireena'').{{quote |{{Qtt|3|54}}|
For example, the verse 8:17 says Allah killed people, so why not take this verb and say that Allah's name is القاتل (al-qaatil, The Killer)?
{{Quote|{{Quran|8|17}}|
And you did not kill them, but it was Allah who killed them. And you threw not, [O Muhammad], when you threw, but it was Allah who threw that He might test the believers with a good test. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.
}}
 
The Qur'an also terms Allah as [[Allah the Best Deceiver|The Best of Deceivers]] (''khayru al-makireena''). For obvious reasons, this name is not there in the above list.
 
{{quote |{{Qtt|3|54}}|
'''Arabic:''' ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين  
'''Arabic:''' ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين  


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'''Literal:''' And they cheated/deceived and Allah cheated/deceived, and Allah (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/quran/surah/3/lang/englishliteral/|2=2011-08-25}} 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal)] - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011</ref>}}
'''Literal:''' And they cheated/deceived and Allah cheated/deceived, and Allah (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/quran/surah/3/lang/englishliteral/|2=2011-08-25}} 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal)] - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011</ref>}}


We could find many other names of Allah in the Quran.
The list also doesn't mention the word "Allah" itself (الله).
==Other lists==
 
As we've seen, the popular list based on the weak hadith is wrong on many levels. [https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A3%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%89#%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D9%81%D9%8A_%D8%A5%D8%AD%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A1%D9%87%D8%A7 Arabic Wikipedia article] contains more than 10 different lists by various Islamic scholars. Some of those lists even contain the name "Best of deceivers" (خير الماكرين). The lists together contain 276 names of Allah and we can assume that there are other lists with even more names.
==See also==
 
External:
 
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101_Names_of_God Wikipedia: 101 Names of God in Zoroastrianism]
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_and_titles_of_Muhammad Wikipedia: Names and titles of Muhammad]
*[https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A3%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%89#%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D9%81%D9%8A_%D8%A5%D8%AD%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A1%D9%87%D8%A7 Arabic Wikipedia article compiling lists of Allah's names]


==References==
==References==
<references />
[[Category:Allah]]
[[Category:Sufism]]
[[Category:Supernatural beings]]
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